Budweiser Clydesdales make their way around Busch Stadium as part of the opening day festivities before the start of a baseball game, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in St. Louis. The iconic Budweiser Clydesdales will no longer have their tails shortened using a common, yet controversial, procedure that has drawn the ire of animal activists, parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev announced Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
By Heather Hollingsworth
The iconic Budweiser Clydesdales will no longer have their tails shortened using a common, yet controversial, procedure that has drawn the ire of animal activists, parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev announced Wednesday.
The brewer said in a statement that the change was made earlier this year, stressing that the safety of the horses was a “top priority.” The statement coincided with an announcement that it had obtained an animal welfare certification for the horses, as well as the dalmatians that serve as their companions.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, led protests and mounted a nationwide ad campaign, with billboards depicting the horses reading “Severed Tails: Cruelty to Clydesdales.” With the announcement that tail-docking has ceased, PETA is “cracking open some cold ones to celebrate," Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in a news release.
The Clydesdales, mainstays in commercials and parades, were first introduced in 1933 after Prohibition was repealed. They can be viewed at Grant’s Farm, a St. Louis attraction initially built by former President and Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant.
Large draft horses like Clydesdales, Shires, and Percherons frequently have the boney part of their tails amputated to a length of about 6 inches (15.24 centimeters). The process is called docking and often is performed on foals using a special constricting band, the American Veterinary Medical Association explained on its website.
The purpose is to prevent the tail from interfering with the harness and carriage. But opponents argue it is unnecessary, and the practice is now banned in several countries, including Belgium and Finland, as well as some U.S. states.
The tail-docking blowup is just the latest controversy to embroil the company. Earlier this year, critics who were angered by the brewer sending a commemorative Bud Light can to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney vowed to boycott the brand. Bud Light also faced backlash from Mulvaney’s fans, who think the brand didn’t do enough to support her.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
